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Windsor StarSun, 02 Aug 2015 22:29:48 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/58154357a21f0ee0c154f325e88e221c?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » Health CareWindsor Starhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com
Mould, mice among issues at University of Windsor dormshttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mould-mice-among-issues-at-university-of-windsor-dorms
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mould-mice-among-issues-at-university-of-windsor-dorms#commentsThu, 30 Jul 2015 00:36:00 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=510822]]>Maintenance of a student residence at the University of Windsor had largely been ignored for at least the past two years, says one student who dealt with mould and mice issues while living on campus.

Amrit Sangha used to stuff a towel into the window of his dorm room to shield himself from the cold winter draft that blew inside. He also went three weeks without lighting in that same room.

The business school graduate complained about the problems at Clark residence on Sunset Avenue after arriving in September 2013, but few improvements were made, he told The Star this week.

School officials recently shuttered the townhouse complex, which can house about 150 students, because of persistent mould issues. But for Sangha, many of those problems could have been avoided with regular upkeep.

“Maintenance was absolutely subpar there,” he said during a phone interview from Toronto, where he now lives.

The university continues to battle a backlog of maintenance issues in many of its facilities. In 2013 a wish list of repairs came in at $68.7 million. That same year, the school decided to spend $14 million over four or five years to improve overall conditions.

The university’s facilities services department created a “master template of projects” for its deferred maintenance strategy, according to a report to the board of directors in April 2013, but that template was not available when requested, said John Coleman, the school’s communications director.

“That kind of document just doesn’t exist,” he said.

The bathroom at the University of Windsor’s Clark residence on Sunset Avenue is pictured in this handout photo. (Courtesy of Amrit Sangha)

Student residences are not part of the $14-million deferred maintenance strategy, but the school will look at all options before deciding what to do with the Clark residence, which was built in the 1980s, according to Coleman.

He does not know how long students had been dealing with mould issues, but said the university shut the residence down after ordering an environmental assessment. The rooms were occupied until the spring when students moved out.

When Sangha first arrived at the Clark residence, he took photos of the mould in the bathroom and time stamped them by posting them to a private account on Facebook.

When he complained, someone came by and painted over the mould.

“You could still see the mould through the paint,” said Sangha, who moved out of the dorm in December 2014 and returned to Toronto.

He eventually bought a space heater for his room to keep warm because the window never got fixed. Neither did the screen door on the second-floor balcony. Its hinges had come loose and after repeated complaints someone removed it and leaned it up against the wall beside the sliding door.

These kinds of responses were not adequate enough, said Sangha, who paid about $800 a month in rent. He would rather have avoided buying a heater, but his complaints weren’t getting addressed, he said.

“I don’t know if that’s allowed in residence, but they weren’t doing anything about it, so you have to take matters into your own hands,” he said.

If the cost to upgrade the Clark gets too expensive, it could see the same fate as Electa Hall residence, which was ordered to be demolished earlier this year because the aging facility had repair bills estimated at $8.2 million.

Even without Clark in service come fall, all students will be accommodated. Having enough rooms for students has not been a major concern at the university because the residences are rarely operating at full capacity, said Coleman.

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mould-mice-among-issues-at-university-of-windsor-dorms/feed0Clark Residence at University of Windsor, Friday July 24,2015. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)winstarspaldingThe bathroom at the University of Windsor's Clark residence on Sunset Avenue is pictured in this handout photo. (Courtesy of Amrit Sangha)Windsor nurses hired on the spot at Henry Ford Hospital job fairhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-nurses-hired-on-the-spot-at-henry-ford-hospital-job-fair
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-nurses-hired-on-the-spot-at-henry-ford-hospital-job-fair#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 21:37:10 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=512285]]>Henry Ford Hospital wasted little time in a campaign to fill more than 50 vacant nursing positions with highly sought after Canadian workers.

Fifty-four smiling nurses walked away from a job fair at Windsor’s Caboto Club on Wednesday with offers to work at the tertiary care hospital in Detroit.

The hirings solve two significant, but very different health-care problems on each side of the Canada-U.S. border. In Windsor, hundreds of nurses struggle to find work because of the scattering of job opportunities, while the U.S. continues to battle a nationwide shortage of registered nurses.

“If they qualify, and they’re a good fit, we’re hiring them today,” said Gwen Gnam, vice-president of nursing care services at Henry Ford. “They’re getting offer letters right now.”

Gwen Gnam, vice president of nursing care services at Henry Ford Hospital, talks about a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)

One of those happy hires is Bojan Ilievski. The 28-year-old nurse had bounced around between Manitoba and Ontario after graduating from the University of Windsor back in 2010. Work was hard to come by.

He’ll continue in his current job at London Health Sciences Centre for probably a few more months until he’s legally able to work in Detroit in his new role as a short-stay nurse, but the Windsor native looks forward to moving closer to home and commuting across the river.

“I applied in Windsor as well, but I know they have more opportunities at Henry Ford,” he said. “It seems like a great place to work. I have a lot of colleagues who work there and everyone’s happy.”

The hospital does not disclose the range of salaries for its staff, but the typical annual pay for nurses in Michigan sits at about $67,180, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. That equates to about $32.30 an hour.

Tammy Gallant looks forward to a full-time job with more flexible hours and health benefits, she said after accepting an offer letter from Henry Ford. She’s classified as a part-time operating room nurse at Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette campus, but she works full-time hours.

Fifty nursing jobs at Henry Ford Hospital were up for grabs at a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)

Her classification means she doesn’t get employee benefits, but she works five days a week at least. At Henry Ford, Gallant can work 12-hour shifts, which means she has more days off, plus she’ll have benefits.

“There’s a lot more flexibility over there,” she said.

Henry Ford has a long standing relationship with Canadian nurses. The hospital already employs about 220 Canadian workers, many of whom have been there more than 20 years, according to Gnam. Other nurses head south for the experience and then return when jobs open up at Windsor Regional Hospital.

“It depends on the kind of nursing that they’re really interested in doing,” Gnam said. “If they really like that high acuity type of patient, they’re not going to find it like they will in Detroit.”

That specialized work is exactly what Anel Verem, 24, is looking for in a job in Detroit. He’s finishing out the rest of a maternity contract as a mental health outreach nurse, but that gig ends in October.

Ideally, he will land a job in an emergency room and then move on to any of the intensive care units, Verem said.

Bojan Ilievski, 28, talks about getting hired on the spot by Henry Ford Hospital during a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)

Detroit-bound nurses will have a range of job options to choose from.

“We’re a level-one trauma centre, we have multiple centres of excellence at Henry Ford: cancer, cardiac, neurosurgery, transplant, so a very diverse group of patients to take care of,” Gnam said. “It’s really a great opportunity to learn in your career and to grow.”

The job fair was busy all day Wednesday with about 250 applicants showing up over the 12 hours hospital staff set up shop in the basement of the Caboto Club. The foot traffic wasn’t surprising with the glut of nursing graduates from the University of Windsor looking for work close to home.

More than 300 newly registered nurses hit the market this year. With so few opportunities in Windsor, jobs in Detroit are a huge draw. And Henry Ford isn’t the only one hiring. Detroit Medical Center recently held a recruitment session for 150 job openings.

Henry Ford staff had an immigration specialist at the Caboto Club, assisting all new hires obtain the proper licences and visas to work in the U.S.

“It makes it easy for them,” Gnam said. “They’re not going to put up with a hassle like that. They’ve got to cross the border, that’s a big enough hassle every day.”

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-nurses-hired-on-the-spot-at-henry-ford-hospital-job-fair/feed0Anel Verem, 24, attends a Henry Ford Hospital job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont., on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)winstarspaldingGwen Gnam, vice president of nursing care services at Henry Ford Hospital, talks about a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)Fifty nursing jobs at Henry Ford Hospital were up for grabs at a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star)Bojan Ilievski, 28, talks about getting hired on the spot by Henry Ford Hospital during a job fair at the Caboto Club in Windsor, Ont. on July 29, 2015. (JASON KRYK/The Windsor Star) Video: Annual barbecue promotes awareness on World Hepatitis Dayhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/video-annual-barbecue-promotes-awareness-on-world-hepatitis-day
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/video-annual-barbecue-promotes-awareness-on-world-hepatitis-day#commentsTue, 28 Jul 2015 19:00:38 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=512081]]>The Windsor Essex Community Health Centre held its 3rd annual barbecue to raise awareness about hepatitis C Tuesday.

The event coincided with World Hepatitis Day and visitors were given information on hepatitis transmission, testing, prevention and treatment.

Area resident Roxanne Denault, centre, receives a Hepatitis C questionnaire from RN Beth McLellan, left, during a World Hepatitis Day BBQ at Wigle Park Tuesday July 28, 2015. Multiple stations around Wigle Park were set up by Windsor Essex Community Health Centre Hepatitis C Treatment and Support Team. Visitors were given a World Hepatitis Day Pass to use as they made stops at each display. Hot dogs, water, chips and fresh vegetables were available. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/video-annual-barbecue-promotes-awareness-on-world-hepatitis-day/feed0Area resident Roxanne Denault, centre, receives a Hepatitis C questionnaire from RN Beth McLellan, left, during a World Hepatitis Day BBQ at Wigle Park Tuesday July 28, 2015. Multiple stations around Wigle Park were set up by Windsor Essex Community Health Centre Hepatitis C Treatment and Support Team. Visitors were given a World Hepatitis Day Pass to use as they made stops at each display. Hot dogs, water, chips and fresh vegetables were available. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)winstarbrancaccioArea resident Roxanne Denault, centre, receives a Hepatitis C questionnaire from RN Beth McLellan, left, during a World Hepatitis Day BBQ at Wigle Park Tuesday July 28, 2015. Multiple stations around Wigle Park were set up by Windsor Essex Community Health Centre Hepatitis C Treatment and Support Team. Visitors were given a World Hepatitis Day Pass to use as they made stops at each display. Hot dogs, water, chips and fresh vegetables were available. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)Second mosquito pool tests positive for West Nile virus in Windsorhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/second-mosquito-pool-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-windsor
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/second-mosquito-pool-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-windsor#commentsMon, 27 Jul 2015 21:15:34 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=511077]]>Evidence of West Nile virus in Windsor continues to roll in with a second mosquito pool identified this week.

Residents should take necessary precautions to avoid getting stung, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit warned in a statement Monday.

“Two positive mosquito pools in the city indicate that West Nile virus is present throughout the region,” the statement explained.

The first pool was detected back on June 24. So far, there has not yet been a human case of the virus identified in the city or the county.

People should eliminate any standing water from their properties and homes. These pools are a haven for mosquitoes, which spread the virus that can cause potentially serious infections in humans.

“These positive mosquito pools are a reminder for Windsor-Essex County residents to continue to protect themselves,” according to the health unit.

This 2006 photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquiring a blood meal from a human host at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – James Gathany

People should use insect repellents that contain DEET, Icaridin or other approved ingredients on clothing as well as exposed skins.

Other ways to avoid mosquitoes:

Make sure that door and window screens fit securely and are free of holes.

Wear light-coloured clothing, long sleeved shirts and long pants.

Limit the time you spend outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

The health unit and municipalities throughout the region continue to monitor for West Nile virus activity. For more information on West Nile virus, please visit the health unit’s West Nile virus web page.

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/second-mosquito-pool-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-windsor/feed0Windsor, ONT. May 29, 2015 -- Jarrett Sorko checks for mosquito larvae at Ojibway Nature Centre, where Dr. Wajid Ahmed, associated Medical Officer of Health (acting) for Windsor-Essex County Health Unit held a press conference to bring awareness to West Nile virus. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star).winstarspaldingThis 2006 photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquiring a blood meal from a human host at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - James GathanyMould issues closes student residences at University of Windsorhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mould-issues-closes-student-residences-at-university-of-windsor
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/mould-issues-closes-student-residences-at-university-of-windsor#commentsSat, 25 Jul 2015 01:48:44 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=510105]]>The University of Windsor shuttered one of its on-campus student residences because of pervasive mould issues and a second site could see the same fate, officials confirmed Friday.

About 150 students will be put into alternate housing in the fall after an environmental assessment of Clark Residences on Sunset Avenue found that mould issues were quite severe.

“The university thought it was best to take the building out of service while it’s looked at,” said John Coleman, the university’s communications director.

He couldn’t indicate exactly how long students have been contending with mould issues, but said minor repairs had been done last year. Once the students left in April, the university ordered an environmental assessment.

There has been no determination so far about how the moisture got into the townhouse-style units that were built in the 1980s, but that information should be available soon, Coleman explained.

“It’s not related to anything the students had done,” he said. “As far as I know, it’s a building problem. I don’t know if it was related to structure or something else.”

A second group of the Clark townhouses just further south on Sunset Avenue have had some mould issues as well, so the school has ordered an environmental assessment. Depending on the severity, it too could be closed come the fall semester.

Accommodating students in other residences won’t be a problem, Coleman said. The University of Windsor is one of few Canadian post-secondary schools without a waiting list for people looking for on-campus housing. The occupancy issues relate to the majority of the student body from Windsor and Essex County.

The board ordered the demolition of Electa Hall earlier this year because the aging facility has deferred maintenance costs of $8.2 million. But without any demand for housing, the school decided to turn the building into green space.

“Every student (from the Clark residences) will be accommodated in other housing,” Coleman said. “No one will be without a residence in the fall.”

The centre, which is slated for construction in Windsor’s urban core, is a key component in the proposal for a new mega-hospital unveiled just last week.

The facility is anticipated to reduce emergency room volumes by treating patients with less severe health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, broken limbs, cuts and burns.

“For that group of patients its going to be very helpful and very effective,” said Dr. Paul Bradford, medical director of emergency and trauma services at Windsor Regional. “This model removes some of the less critical patients from the emergency department and places them in a more appropriate setting.”

Hospital officials didn’t have an exact figure for how much wait times would be reduced with a new urgent care centre, slated to be built at the old Grace Hospital site on Crawford Avenue, but the benefits could be quite extensive.

Of the 131,000 visits to the hospital’s emergency departments last year, about 40 per cent could have received care sooner if they went to an urgent care centre, according to estimates from Windsor Regional.

Typical wait times at Windsor’s Metropolitan campus sat at just under four hours as of Thursday, while the Ouellette campus clocked its typical wait at more than seven hours.

More specifically, patients with uncomplicated conditions at Met waited an about 3.6 hours, compared to the 4.3 hours at Ouellette. Patients with complex conditions waited 10.3 hours at Met, compared to 11.9 hours at Ouellette.

Other regions that have adopted similar urgent care models indicate that wait times at the new facilities can be half as long as traditional emergency departments.

Plans for the Windsor site call for a four-storey 80,000-square-foot facility that is expected to see an estimated 30,000 patients a year. It would operate much like a walk-in clinic, but with far more capabilities. Urgent care centres have a full set of diagnostics and a full compliment of hospital emergency staff and physicians.

With such a centre in operation, the new mega-hospital emergency department can then focus on more severe cases, such as cardiac arrest, head injuries and chest pains.

Having just the one large department is much more efficient, said Bradford, but it wouldn’t work as well without an urgent care centre in the core. Moving the bulk of emergency services to the new site on County Road 42 would have left a void in the downtown, particularly for those who have mental health issues or those who lack transportation.

“If we take all these resources and we put that out on Highway 42, all these people, they may be in trouble or they’re all going to be calling ambulances all the time,” Bradford said. “Having something in the downtown, maintaining that presence, gives those people care.”

Urgent care centres have proven extremely successful in other communities, including the Greater Toronto Area. Bradford described how eager Windsor Regional staff were to incorporate similar models here.

“People were going past other (emergency departments) from other communities and coming to their urgent care centre because the waits were so short and they could get the tests they need,” he said.

The future of the proposed urgent care centre now sits with Ontario’s ministry of health, which is reviewing the hospital’s plan over the next few months. If it gets the green light, the hospital plans a widespread educational campaign to help the public understand the concept.

]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/patients-treated-sooner-with-addition-of-urgent-care-centre-says-windsor-regional/feed0Dr. Paul Bradford, medical director of emergency and trauma services at Windsor Regional Hospital, is shown at the Ouellette Campus on Thursday, July 23, 2015. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)winstarspaldingDr. Paul Bradford, medical director of emergency and trauma services at Windsor Regional Hospital, is shown at the Ouellette Campus on Thursday, July 23, 2015. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)Blind Windsor woman in need of double organ transplanthttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/blind-windsor-woman-in-need-of-double-organ-transplant
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/blind-windsor-woman-in-need-of-double-organ-transplant#commentsFri, 24 Jul 2015 01:18:10 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=509062]]>Amanda Farrer was 24 years old when she lost her vision, bringing an abrupt end to her criminology studies at the University of Windsor and dreams of being a lawyer.

She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a toddler, but never imagined the metabolic disorder would change her life so drastically. Now, at age 32, Farrer’s kidney is failing.

Amanda Farrer, 32, is shown at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus dialysis unit on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. She is in need of a double organ transplant. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)

For four long hours a day, three times a week, she lies quietly in the renal dialysis unit of Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette Campus hooked up to a machine that filters her blood.

The catheter pierced into veins in her chest will remain there for the duration of the treatment period — three to six months, if she’s lucky. Meanwhile, she is waiting for kidney and pancreas transplants.

“Being diabetic is all that I’ve known. During my teenage years, I led a pretty normal life, aside from following a special diet and getting a lot of blood tests and insulin needles,” said Farrer.

Individuals diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes rely on insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels. The pancreas fails to produce insulin, which is needed to convert sugar into energy.

“(Losing my sight) was pretty horrible. It was scary and I went through a huge bout of depression,” said Farrer.

“When I was younger my parents and doctors warned me that things could get worse, but I just kept thinking ‘It’s not going to happen to me,’” she recalled. “I want to let other people in similar circumstances know that you have to take this seriously. It’s not a joke or a game.”

In Windsor and Essex County, more than 49,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes, said Joyce Montrose, the Windsor district branch co-ordinator for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

“Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness and kidney failure in Canada. It can also cause limb amputations, nerve damage, heart attacks and strokes,” Montrose said. “We want people to know how to manage their diabetes to avoid these complications and live long, healthy lives. If you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing and eating, and your blood sugar levels are high for an extended period of time, it will begin to cause damage in your body.”

After three years of struggling to cope with her blindness, Farrer took an online course from home to learn how to read braille, and returned to university with special accommodations.

Amanda Farrer, 32, is shown at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus dialysis unit on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. She is in need of a double organ transplant. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)

“Eventually I moved out on my own and got a job working at a company in Windsor, and then my life just slowly started to go back to normal,” she said. “I also met a wonderful man, and we’re engaged to be married.”

Three years ago, Farrer and her fiancé started a local roofing company together.

“He’s the brawn behind the operations and I’m the brains,” she laughed. “I do the paperwork and everything.”

As a result of her kidney failure and 12 weekly hours of dialysis, Farrer is no longer able to work. Her fiancé will be completing all unfinished contracts before taking time off to transport her to and from treatments, since she cannot drive herself.

“This has been a big adjustment and I know a lot will change, but I’ve been very blessed and I have a lot of support,” said Farrer. “I’m pretty positive and hopeful that the outcome for me will be good.”

Tera Gillen Petrozzi has been Farrer’s close friend since they attended Sandwich Secondary School. Troubled by her friend’s plight, she set up an online fundraiser to lessen the financial burden Farrer and her fiancé will face during the dialysis.

In just one day, friends and strangers raised nearly $3,000.

“Amanda has really worked to maintain a normal life, even after losing her eyesight at such an early age. Now to have this new medical issue come up is really disheartening because it’s just taking her steps backward again,” said Petrozzi.

“With everything that she’s going through, we just set this fundraiser up to give her one less thing to worry about. She can focus on getting well and getting better, instead of being concerned about how to pay her bills,” she added.

Farrer has been overwhelmed by the love and kindness she has received throughout her treatment.

“I am so blessed to have friends and family that are so supportive of me,” she said. “I’m still alive, so I just put a smile on my face and get through it.”

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/blind-windsor-woman-in-need-of-double-organ-transplant/feed0Amanda Farrer, 32, (R) is shown at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus with nurse Colleen Nasello in the dialysis unit on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Farrar is in need of a double organ transplant. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)jesselyncookAmanda Farrer, 32, is shown at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus dialysis unit on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. She is in need of a double organ transplant. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)Amanda Farrer, 32, is shown at the Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus dialysis unit on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. She is in need of a double organ transplant. (DAN JANISSE/The Windsor Star)Windsor Regional racing to the finish line for mega-hospital approvalhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-regional-racing-to-the-finish-line-for-mega-hospital-approval
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-regional-racing-to-the-finish-line-for-mega-hospital-approval#commentsThu, 23 Jul 2015 01:04:40 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=508928]]>Windsor’s not alone in its bid for a new $2-billion regional hospital, so health officials remain determined in their race to successfully pry highly sought after infrastructure funding from the province.

To much fanfare, Windsor Regional recently submitted a proposal to Ontario’s health ministry for a new mega-hospital near the city’s airport.

But with several other communities also in the running for similar projects, the hospital has to find ways to secure local funding, while reassuring ministry staff that Windsor is a safe place to invest.

“Until we get approval from the province, there’s no wait list. If other municipalities move faster than we do, they could jump ahead of us to get to stage two,” said David Musyj, CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital.

Files: David Musyj president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital speaks at a press conference at the Ouellette campus on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)

The Star asked Health Minister Eric Hoskins for an interview about how much competition there is for funding — among many other issues — but he was not available. In a written response, the minister’s office failed to answer any of the questions submitted to him by email.

But Musyj said the competition is there.

Other areas, like Ottawa, Niagara and Muskoka, are also in need of hospital upgrades and replacements, so the pressure is on, according to Musyj, who says the already stiff competition gets more intense because of limited provincial infrastructure funding.

While it could be months before the ministry gives its approval, Windsor Regional is already mapping out how the city and the county will pay for its share of the cost.

The local bill for the new hospital — and its three satellite sites within the urban core — is estimated at $200 million, which could be paid for in many ways, Musyj said. Some communities have used tax levies or borrowed cash with a 20- or 30-year repayment plan in order to spread the cost to users over time.

Communities can also reduce the overall financial burden by offering up land or they can raise funds. Either way, the region’s ability to come up with its portion of the cost illustrates to the ministry the level of support for the new hospital. Without that buy-in, the less likely it is government will support the project overall, according to Musyj.

“Communities need to show they want it,” he said. “I can tell you, doing nothing is not an option, especially when you look at what’s happening elsewhere.”

It could be months before the ministry comes back with feedback on the proposal, but the process could be a bit easier than what other communities experience because the province has been involved since Windsor Regional started looking at overhauling its facilities.

Upgrades to both the Met and Ouellette campuses were estimated to be far more than $2 billion, so the ministry recommended looking at an entirely new site for an acute care centre.

“We’re a bit different here,” Musyj said. “The ministry is the one that pitched a new acute care site to us. So, that could help us a little bit.”

Find Windsor Star on Facebook]]>http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/windsor-regional-racing-to-the-finish-line-for-mega-hospital-approval/feed0The proposed site for the new Windsor mega hospital at the corner of County Road 42 and the 9th concession is seen in Windsor on Wednesday, July 15, 2015. (TYLER BROWNBRIDGE/The Windsor Star)winstarspaldingFiles: David Musyj president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital speaks at a press conference at the Ouellette campus on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)New tool for breast cancer screening at Leamington hospitalhttp://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/new-tool-for-breast-cancer-screening-at-leamington-hospital
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/new-tool-for-breast-cancer-screening-at-leamington-hospital#commentsWed, 22 Jul 2015 02:01:18 +0000http://blogs.windsorstar.com/?p=508685]]>The Leamington District Memorial Hospital has expanded its mammography program to include 3D tomosynthesis.

The hospital is the first in the Erie-St. Clair Local Health Integration Network and one of only a few hospitals in Ontario to offer 3D tomosynthesis in addition to digital mammography.

Breast tomosynthesis, which is relatively new to Ontario, uses high-powered computing to convert digital breast images into a stack of thin layers building what is essentially a three-dimensional mammogram.

Multiple images are taken by the second and examined in a virtual environment so suspected tumours and masses in the breast can be detected with a higher degree of accuracy.

The technique is widely used in the U.S. and Europe. The Journal of the American Medical Association says studies indicate a 41 per cent increase in the detection of invasive breast cancers and a 29 per cent increase in the detection of all breast cancers when tomosynthesis is used in addition to digital mammography.

“We are adapting procedures for the new tomosynthesis technology which went live last Monday,” said Rose Costa, senior director of corporate services at LDMH. “The addition of the 3D tomosynthesis to the digital imaging mammography process is in keeping with the newly expanded Women’s Centre at LDMH.”